Q. How much was your back a problem today?
ROGER FEDERER: Well, actually no pain. I was
happy the way it held up. You know, I was sort
of skeptical going into the match because the
practice sessions haven't been hard at all. I
really tried to not push it at all. So I was
actually happy that the back felt okay.

Q. Can you talk about, is there something he
does in those two matches that you played that
particularly bothers you, how it happens?
ROGER FEDERER: Well, I mean, the better you
play, the better he plays, you know. And he's
quite a unique player and he makes you work hard
and runs very well. Yeah, he's unusual to play
against.

Q. You're up a set and a break and everything
seems okay. What happens at that moment? Do you
feel you let a little bit down, the pressure?
ROGER FEDERER: Geez, I don't know. I don't
remember the break I got particularly well.
Definitely today shots maybe I miss I normally
don't miss. I think that's just lack of practice
and just uncertainty where my back was today.
All this comes together at the end the day,
sometimes against top players it's not enough.
Now at least I have a match under my belt,
especially three sets, and I hope I can play
better in the next match.

Q. You were in this situation last year, weren't
you, too, losing your first match. You still got
plenty to play for. Just your thoughts moving
forward?
ROGER FEDERER: Yeah, I'm just going to go match
by match. That's the only way to go here anyway.
But it's great. It's the only tournament where I
really have a chance after losing first rounds.
So I'm, again, happy it happened here.

Q. How do you compare today's match with the
Toronto one?
ROGER FEDERER: Toronto match? Very similar
(smiling). I lost both. Both three sets, and I
lost both. Could have won both but lost. So very
similar.

Q. How is your back today? Were you troubled by
that at all?
ROGER FEDERER: Back was fine.

Q. You had less than 50% first serves and your
overhead sometimes you had problems. Was that
unconsciously you were thinking a little bit,
you were careful with the back?
ROGER FEDERER: Sure, I mean, I had matches in
Basel I was serving 15 aces. Here I was serving
three aces. Definitely it was a factor today,
you know, the serve. Like I said, it was just
being caution and then on top of that just not
feeling it well. I haven't been basically
serving all week, except maybe 50 serves in
total, you know, the last nine days.
That's what sometimes happens. The shoulder gets
a little rusty and things don't work out the way
you want it. I still expect myself to have more
serves in. I didn't serve full blast especially
from the start. So I don't know if that cost me
the match. But I mean, I was still in the
position to win. It was a pity I couldn't get to
the finish line before him.

Q. As you pointed out, this a unique tournament
because you get to come back even if you lost.
And last year you were in a similar situation.
How difficult is it to put aside this loss and
then kind of like be up for the next match?
ROGER FEDERER: I thought it was particularly
difficult last year. You know, I was really
disappointed after losing against Gonzalez. I
thought I was the better player out there. I
don't want to say he got lucky on a few
backhands. I just really thought it was one of
those losses that was just so unnecessary.
But coming into the locker room instead of maybe
winning in straight, because I think I lost the
second set in a breaker, and I had all the
chances, and end up losing like 7-5 in the
third. So it was like, What just happened? I
couldn't really figure it out.
It was hard for that night. I was really sort of
disappointed. On top of that, because I never
been in that situation before, so I didn't know
how I reacted, except at the Olympic Games when
I lost sort of the silver medal match against
Tommy Haas in 2000 and then I ended up losing
against Di Pasquale as well the next match. I
remember I couldn't get up for it basically.
Last year was difficult. I think this year will
be more easy because I've already gone through
it just a year ago. I think that's going to help
me out.
I'm definitely in a more positive mindset today
just because my back feels good. I was, like I
said, a little worried coming in. So that sort
of goes into a positive direction. I hope I can
play much better the next match.

Q. I'd like to hear some of your comments on the
election of the new president of ATP. There was
rumors one of the nominees is Larry Scott, who
is the president of the WTA. He has a new plan
to reunite the ATP and WTA to be one tour.
ROGER FEDERER: Many people have many ideas at
the moment. We'll see what happens in the next
week. It's not really the thing I want to talk
about right now.